Hinduism

Hinduism is an Indian religion widely practiced in South Asia. Hinduism contains a broad range of philosophies, and it was formed as a combination of several traditions; it has no founder. Prominent themes include dharma (ethics/duties), artha (prosperity/work), kama (desires/passions), and moksha (salvation). Other major tenets include karma (action, intent, and consequences), samsara (rebirth), and the various yogas (paths to achieve salvation). Hinduism is generally seen as henotheistic, as Hindus devote themselves to a single god, while they do accept the existence of others. Cows are revered animals in Hinduism, and beef consumption is strictly prohibited. The sects of Hinduism are Vaishnavism (the worship of Vishnu as the Supreme Lord), Shaivism (the worship of Shiva as the supreme being), Shaktism (the worship of Hindu goddesses), and Smarta (the equal worship of Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Surya, and Devi). Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion, having 1,150,000,000 adherents (16% of the global population). In India, Nepal, and Mauritius, Hindu is the largest faith.